Levrack Mobile Aisle Storage System Enters The Consumer Market

Levrack Model 1074 installed.

Levrack, a manufacturer of high-end garage storage systems, has a unique origin story. According to Ryan Stauffer, one of the company's founders, the project started on a 5,000-acre grain farm in Nebraska. "We have a big shop that we work out of all the time, so we were just looking for ways to maximize storage there," he said during a phone interview. "We tried different things and different products that were out there, but there wasn't anything that fit what we wanted.

"One day, we’re standing underneath a pallet rack having a beer in our shop, and we’re like – here's the frame," he said. "This is where it starts – industrial pallet racking. That's where the product was born. That's structure already built with capacity. So, we’ve slowly and quietly started to push this product and this idea of a mobile aisle shelving system geared toward the consumer."

System installed in a fire station.

Levrack makes rugged, yet refined, mobile aisle shelving units that are freestanding and modular. You may have seen mobile aisle shelving in file rooms or industrial warehouses. Levrack mounts vertical shelving modules beneath a pallet rack. The shelving units hang from proprietary trolley rollers, and float a few inches above the floor. Even when loaded, the shelving modules glide easily from side to side beneath the frame, so you get maximum storage in a compact footprint. Systems start around $2,500.

The company was founded in 2016, and soon found their way into the automotive space. Premier auto personalities, including Jay Leno of Jay Leno's Garage, Rod Emory of Emory Motorsports, and Jonathan Ward of Icon 4x4, had Levrack systems installed in their shops. "Being on some TV shows on Discovery Channel has really helped us grow our business," said Stauffer.

Levrack installed at Emory Motorsports.

Levrack's next plan of attack is to market its shelving to consumers for high-end home garages. "One of the things people have been responding to about the product, with these pandemic lockdowns, most people are spending more time at home, so space is becoming even more of a premium," said Stauffer. "So people are looking for ways to store more and also keep things out of sight, and Levrack's designed for just that."

Levrack got in touch with me after reading my article about a garage storage project I had undertaken with Gladiator products. My wife and I installed a Gladiator Gear Wall in our barn/garage in the suburbs of Detroit. Levrack wanted to design a storage solution for my garage, too, a test-case for consumer installation, if I was willing. After talking with Stauffer and exploring the options on the Levrack website, I agreed, and we began to make a plan.

Levrack installed in an auto shop.

My first task was to spend some time looking at my garage to figure out how much storage I needed, and where I could put the Levrack unit. Stuff always expands to fill storage, so it makes sense to maximize where possible.

The challenge in a garage is multi-tasking. More than almost any other space in the house, a garage has to be all things to all purposes. It has to be a secure storage space. It must function as a home repair workshop, tool repository, bicycle and sports equipment locker, woodworking space, and more. It will be home to cars, motorcycles, lawn equipment, snow blowers, gasoline, oil, and cleaning supplies. All at once. And to be functional, all of these things need to be easily accessible. After spending a little time scouting in my garage, I recognized that I needed help.

A CAD rendering of the garage project.

My garage has two deep bays. The east bay is 25 feet deep, and the west bay is 27.5 feet deep. Each bay is 14 feet wide, separated by an open stud wall. I’ve been able to preserve space for my wife's Mazda3 to live in the east bay, while the west bay houses a teardrop trailer, two motorcycles, a snow blower, a couple of electric bicycles, and a bunch of rolling tool boxes and open shelving.

After a lot of thinking and a few phone consultations with Levrack, I figured I’d be able to fit an eight-foot Levrack unit at the back of the east-side bay, which would still allow the Mazda3 to park indoors with a comfortable buffer. I sent Levrack a floor plan of the garage with measurements, and they replied with a cool CAD rendering of the space with a proposed Levrack installation. After looking at the rendering, we decided to go with a 10-foot Levrack Model 1074, which is 10.5 feet long, seven feet tall, and four feet deep, taking full advantage of the available space.

Another rendering of the garage project.

Levrack currently offers units in seven-, eight-, 10-, and 12-foot lengths, in seven- and eight-foot heights, and in three- and four-foot depths.

The Model 1074 has five shelving sections, each 18 inches wide with four steel shelves per section, with a capacity of up to 200 lbs per shelf. Each shelving section is made of steel – no pressboard here. Each section comes with a trolley, and the system includes handles for each shelving section, two wire mesh decks for the top of the pallet rack, and two LED shop lights.

Model 1074 arrives in crates.

One of the benefits of using a pallet rack as the basis for Levrack is the strength of the rack itself. Not only will the rack support the shelving sections, there's additional capacity on top of the rack. The total system capacity for the Model 1074 is 8,500 lbs – a staggering number for a consumer storage application. Capacity obviously varies with size.

So, the size of rack was settled. While the manufacturing of parts takes place at various locations, Levrack warehouses everything in Nebraska, and crates the units for shipment from there. We set a date for installation, and worked backward from there, allowing a few days for crating and about a week for shipping from Nebraska to my home in Michigan. I spent the time in between clearing out the east bay of my garage and coating the garage floor, which you can read about here. Levrack assembly is consumer-friendly, requiring common hand tools. A power impact driver can make the job quicker; a rubber mallet can help persuade parts to mate. This is definitely a two-person job, but it's simpler and more straightforward than putting together an Ikea dresser. Luckily for me, Ryan Stauffer and Matt Boyts from Levrack flew in from Omaha to assemble my Model 1074.

Assembling the pallet rack.

The Model 1074 arrived in a big (4x8x4) crate and a long package with the pallet rack rails. The purpose-built crate, made from OSB plywood, weighed in at close to 1,000 lbs. We disassembled the crate in my driveway, and the Model 1074 went together quickly and efficiently. Detailed printed instructions were included with the unit. I was immediately impressed with the quality of materials involved, heavy-duty all around and nicely finished. It took the Levrack guys less than two hours to assemble the unit. The Model 1074 looks great on my newly epoxied floor. It works as advertised, with shelving sections easily gliding side-to-side, and a general feeling of solidity everywhere. Levrack also installed a few accessories, including a storage drawer, two wire-mesh shelves, two EZ rails to attach modular storage, and two hanger rails, which will be perfect for motorcycle jackets and riding suits.

Overhead trolleys allow shelving sections to move back and forth freely.

One important note: You need to have a plan for the packing materials, which are voluminous when you’re done with assembly. I filled up the eight-foot bed of my old Ford truck with the cardboard, foam, plastic, and wood from packing, and will take it to the recycling center for proper disposal.

I’ve spent the past few weeks loading up the shelves with stuff. I’ve tried to be smart about it, because even with all this new capacity, I have to be aware of accessibility and intelligent placement. The bonus space on top of the pallet rack is great, and will be home to off-season tires from my truck and my wife's Mazda3.

The final installation of Model 1074.

My garage has been transformed by the addition of the Levrack Model 1074. I have considered and implemented many different storage solutions in my garages over the years – it's kind of a hobby (obsession) for me, and this is by far the best solution I’ve come across. Not only does it look great, it feels like it will last a lifetime, and it makes incredible use of space. Highly recommended for any serious garage space.